“It’s actually not, but having some time off will do me some good.”
“And it’ll get your mind off of whatever is bothering you.”
“There’s nothing-”
“Cane, I have known you too long to know something is bothering you. Is it a woman?”
I laughed. “Do I be in your business, Cecile?”
“Just saying. But, your vacation starts now. If I need anything, I’ll either get Gary to help or I’ll figure it out myself.”
“You can bother me, it’s fine.”
“Enjoy your time off, Cane. I’ll see in the new year.”
I stared at her, and she smiled. “Consider it your Christmas present. Now go.”
I said okay as I grabbed my keys from my desk. Whatever Cecile says, goes.
“I’ll see you in the new year. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Cane.”
I went to the door, still confused over the entire conversation, but I did need some time off because I was getting stressed out. Now, I could help out with the Christmas event at the club.
I walked out to the garage and towards my car when I heard someone calling my name. I suddenly stopped, realizing who the familiar voice belonged to. I closed my eyes, wishing she didn’t know where I worked.
I’m going to kill Aaron!
“Cane?”
I took a deep breath, glad she didn’t go inside my job because I couldn’t make a scene in there. At least in the garage I didn’t have to act fake.
“I don’t have anything to say to you, Melissa.”
“I know you don’t want to talk to me, but we still have a lot of issues to resolve.”
“I’m not going to do this with you right now. Bad enough you know where I work. Did Aaron tell you?”
“No, your dad did.”
“Seriously.”
“Don’t be upset with him. He didn’t want to tell me, but I figured this would be a way to talk to you on mutual ground.”
“I’m not going to talk to you, so save yourself the trouble and leave and don’t come back.”
Melissa walked over to me and tried to touch my shoulder, but I jerked away from her.
“I know it’s been years since we’ve talked.”
“And I’d like to keep it that way.”
“I know I haven’t been the best mother but, please, can you find it in your heart to forgive me? This is the holidays and I just want for the family to be together and erase the mistakes that we had made.”
“We? Don’t you mean you, since you walked out on your kids, not once, not twice, but so many times that I don’t even fucking remember.”
Melissa gave a sad look as she looked away from me. I stared ahead, seeing two women standing nearby watching the scene unfold.
“May we help you?” I asked in an attitude.
The two rushed off and I stared at my mom. “Melissa, this is not the best time or place to talk.”
“When will it be, Cane?”
“Honestly, never. I know Aaron has found it in his heart to forgive you, but I can’t. You left us when we needed you. How can you do that to your family? Just leave and never came back. You know how that made us feel? Dad took a long time coming to terms with things, which he finally did when he met Elle. Aaron pretty much got stuck with a woman who controls everything, and me, I can’t trust anyone, especially women. I felt you left us because we did something wrong. I have always felt like that, even when you kept leaving.”
“I never wanted you to feel like that, Cane. I know I was selfish, but I never wanted you to think that something was wrong with you.”
“Well, now you know. But, I have to go.”
“Wait, before you do, I just need to know will you be able to find it in your heart to spend Christmas with me? I know you said you didn’t want to, but I was hoping you would. Aaron already agreed to have it at his house, so you wouldn’t have to have it at yours. It would be nice to have both of my boys there.”
I looked at the car beside mine, wanting to tell Melissa no because I didn’t want to spend the holidays with a woman who abandoned me too many times. Hell, she did it the first time during Christmas; that’s why I despise the holiday. I knew I should find it in my heart to forgive her, but I just couldn’t. Not right now.
“I have to go. I’ll let Aaron know if I can.”
Melissa stepped aside, so I could get into my car. I closed the door, not even looking at her while starting the ignition. I knew I shouldn’t be like that, but she’s the reason why I live my life the way I did. Now, I hoped I didn’t ever see her again.
24.
Kia
After getting dropped off by Cane, I had to keep myself occupied by cleaning up my room. I had to keep my mind off of Cane and how everything went left between us. I knew he had issues with his mother, but some things he needed to let go. I didn’t know what he went through with her, so that’s not my place to tell him that. Instead, I should just be the person to let it go.
Now that it looked like I’d be staying in Tyler a little longer, I was thinking about finding an actual place to live. I’d been living in this hotel room for almost a month now, so I needed to find a place that I could call home. It would be a bit odd finding a place on my own, since the last place I had it was with Cory; but at least I could say whatever I find, it would be considered all mines. Now, that I could get behind.
I was folding some clothes when there were a loud knock at the door, startling me, and I dropped the shirt I had in my hand. I went to the door as the knocking increased. I looked through the peephole, seeing it was Cory, which had me a bit annoyed, yet surprised. He said he left a week ago, so why was he back?
I didn’t want to answer it, but I figured he was going to continue knocking, so I opened it. “What are you doing here?”
“Can I come in?”
“I thought you left a week ago.”
“I did, but I decided to come back. We haven’t really talked Kia.”
“We said all we needed to say.”
“Maybe you did, but I didn’t.”
I sighed and opened the door wide for Cory to enter. He walked in and sighed.
“May I sit down?”
“Fine.”
“Thank you.”
“Whatever you have to say, say it quick. I was in the middle of cleaning.”
“Don’t the hotel have people to do that?”
“I had to find stuff to do. Why do you care anyway?”
“Just trying to make conversation.”
“You can start on why you’re here.”
Cory took a deep breath and sighed. “I came because I didn’t like how things ended the last time we talked. A lot of shit happened-”
“That you caused,” I interrupted.
“Maybe I did, but you’re the one who led me to go the route that I did.”
“Wow.”
“It’s true, Kia. I get that after your mom passed that you lost yourself, but you never found the strength to regain that passion you once had. You just went through the motions, not caring about anything else.”
“Well, you really didn’t help much, did you?”
“Because you never gave me a chance to. I cared about Darlene. She was like a mom to me, so I was hurt just like you were.”
“There’s a difference with you and me. She was my mother, so I’m entitled to feel a certain way.”
“And I didn’t? You’re being selfish, Kia. But, you packing up and leaving without saying anything was selfish too.”
“Don’t even start with me when you were cheating on me this entire time.”
“Only because you weren’t giving me the attention that I needed. You just closed yourself off from everything and everyone that you loved.”
“I really was going through a lot at the time, but that’s no excuse for what you did. You could have talked to me and we could have figured things out.”
“Like you just did?”
I sighed
and sat down beside him on the couch. We both stared at the white wall, thinking about everything that had happened in our relationship.
“I still remember the first day I laid eyes on you. You were so beautiful. You still are.”
I looked at him as he gave a tiny smile. “I never meant to do what I did, Kia. We were good together; we had all of these plans and they vanished.”
“We just grew further apart from each other. It doesn’t mean that we don’t care for each other.”
“We drifted away from each other. It happens. But, can I say something?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t punish Brooke for what happened. It wasn’t her fault; she was just trying to protect you.”
“By lying. I know you put her up to it.”
“I did and she wanted to tell you, but you were going through enough, so I didn’t want to make things worse for you.”
I shook my head. I knew Brooke meant well, but she still could have told me. That’s something that I had to look pass, but not right now.
“We both just have a lot of things to sort out.”
Cory nodded. “We really do. But, with Cane, do you really like him?”
I glanced at Cory and sighed. That’s something I didn’t really know. I enjoyed spending time with him, but I didn’t know if anything further would happen between us. Hell, we’re not even speaking at the moment.
“I know the relationship you had with him is fake. Brooke told me.”
I sighed. Why would she still be talking to him after what happened? I guess she figured she didn’t have anyone to talk to right now.
“So, you tried to get rid of me by faking a relationship?”
“I did it because I felt it was time to let you go. We were just hurting each other by still being with each other. You should be with someone that will fully make you happy. Neither one of us were doing that for each other.”
“I understand, because I was feeling the same way.”
We both sat in silence, thinking how things had gotten this out of hand, but at least we were able to come to the conclusion that the relationship just wasn’t working.
I got up and went over to the dresser and grabbed the engagement ring that Cory gave me. At one point, I was happy when he proposed, but now, it felt like a distant memory.
“I think you should have this back,” I said while handing it to him.
He nodded. “I guess God had another plan for us.”
I smiled. “I guess so.”
“Just know that I don’t regret the time we did have together. I have learned a lot in our relationship.”
I nodded. “I did too.”
“Whether it’s Cane or someone else, I hope you find happiness again.”
I smiled. “Thanks. I hope you do as well, but not with a married woman.”
“Amanda is separated now.”
I gave a surprised look, wishing he didn’t just say that. “So, you two are really trying to make this work?”
Cory shrugged. “It’s too soon to tell.”
“All I can say is just be happy.”
Cory stood up and put his arms around me. I took a deep breath while my arms were around him. I couldn’t be mad at how things were between us. We could now settle our differences and move on. And I didn’t have to leave Houston to figure that out.
He let go of me and gave me a kiss. It definitely did feel like a goodbye kiss because I didn’t have any type of emotions from it. I could really say my feelings for him had fully diminished. I’d always have love for Cory, but it’s not the love that I was longing for. Now, I just needed to focus on my life and getting myself back on track.
“While you’re on your journey to self-discovery, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive Brooke, find a career that you love, and make sure you talk to your dad. I think he needs you more than ever now.”
I nodded. I knew he was telling the truth. I needed to talk to my dad. We may not have had the best relationship, but he didn’t deserve what I was putting him through.
“I guess my work is done now, so I better go.”
I nodded as I walked him to the door. I opened it to see Cane standing outside. He stared at Cory, a bit surprised that he was there.
“Cane, what are you doing here?”
He shook his head. “I was coming to see if you wanted to visit Stella. I didn’t know you had company.”
“Cory was just leaving,” I said.
Cane looked at Cory, who gave him a smug look. He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“Don’t even touch her,” Cane immediately said.
“What are you going to do about it?” Cory asked.
Cane shoved him and I quickly got in between them. I didn’t need an altercation to happen.
“Stop it, both of you.”
“Stay away from her. She doesn’t need you in her life,” Cane fumed.
“Like she needs you. Bitch-”
Cane decked him, causing Cory to fumble against the wall. He straightened himself up and tried to go to Cane when I grabbed Cane’s shoulder.
“Go in the room. Now!”
I looked to the hall, seeing someone coming out of their room. I gave a nervous smile before ushering Cane inside. Cory shoved Cane with his shoulder, which made him want to go after Cory again.
“Asshole,” Cane said.
“Stop, Cane! You need to leave, Cory.”
Cory headed to the elevator when I closed the door. I gave Cane a crazed look and he sneered. “What the hell was that?!”
“I wasn’t even concerned about him until he came after me, Kia.”
“And you fell right into his hands.”
“What did you even see in him? He’s an asshole. What was he doing here?”
“Does it matter? You literally kicked me out of your place this morning.”
“Only because I was upset about Melissa.”
“Doesn’t make it right.”
“Do you want to see Stella or not?” Cane asked.
I shook my head. “I’ll go later. Right now, I just need some time to be alone.”
“Oh, so you talked to him but not me?”
“We officially ended things, Cane. That’s why Cory was here.”
“Now what? Are you going to stay in Tyler?”
“I don’t know what my plans are. I have a lot to process right now. I just need some space. Tell Stella I’ll see her soon,” I said.
I motioned for Cane to leave. He went to the door trying to talk, but I wouldn’t let him. He turned around, about to speak again when I closed the door in his face.
I leaned my back against it, wondering what the hell to do now. I was so confused with what’s going on between us. That’s why I just needed time to sort things out. Not just with him, but with my entire life.
25.
Cane
I walked away from Kia’s room, still confused on what just happened. I was really trying to understand her, but she was not making it easy. I knew she still hadn’t gotten over her mother’s death, so she’s doing everything she could to erase her pain. That’s something that I knew all too well.
Instead of seeing Stella, I went to The Nine, which was a bar in town. I was drowning my second scotch when I looked ahead at the liquor bottles. In the past few weeks, my life had drastically changed. From meeting Kia to being around Melissa more, it’s enough to make me sort of crazed out, but I was getting through it. I had no choice.
I continued to look ahead when I heard a familiar voice near me.
“Is this seat taken?”
I looked over to see Kia staring at me.
“How did you know I was here?”
“Why do you think I was looking for you? I happen to come here and saw you sitting at the bar.”
“I thought you needed space from me.”
Kia sat down and flagged the bartender down for a drink. She gave a seductive smile after placing her order. “I thought I did, but it wasn’t from you. In t
he past few weeks that I’ve been here, you have actually made me think about some things. That’s something I haven’t been doing recently.”
“What have you thought about?”
“Life in general. Learning from my mistakes and being happy.”
“Are you saying I make you happy?”
Kia playfully rolled her eyes. “It’s too early to tell, but my life has been very adventurous since I’d met you.”
“Glad to be of service.”
Kia grabbed her drink from the bartender and took several sips before putting it on the bar. “You know one thing you can do.”
“What’s that?”
I could feel her breath on me as her lips went to my ear. “You can make me cum right now.”
Her hand was on my thigh while her lips continued to caress my ear. “That’s if you’re up for the challenge.”
“I’m always up for the challenge.”
“Well, let’s go then.”
She got up and went towards the restrooms. I didn’t think she was serious, but she fucking was. I liked that.
I waited a few minutes before heading to the restrooms. I was heading down the hallway when Kia pulled me into the women’s restroom. She closed the door and locked it.
“Look at you. I guess whenever the mood strikes, huh?”
Kia smiled. “You’re not complaining, are you?”
“Fuck no.”
I put my arms around her, as she put my back against the door. We switched sides, and I pulled down her jeans and panties. She pulled myself out of my jeans, but before we could proceed, I needed a condom.
“You do have a condom, don’t you?”
I nodded. “You lucky I have one on me.”
Kia smiled and waited for me to prepare myself. I glanced at her as her smile grew wider.
“I guess you couldn’t wait to do it again, could you?”
“Whatever,” Kia said.
I bent her forward, and she put her hands on the sink. We stared at each other through the mirror as I slowly went inside her. She closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip as I started my slow grind against her.
“Shit,” Kia whispered.
I grabbed her hips as her ass smacked against me. She spread herself wider, making myself become even more excited.
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